Muslims accused the Government of Ethiopia Addis Ababa being responsible for the ongoing unrest there, by encouraging a group known as the Ethiopians, "Association of Islamic Charitable Projects" and promote the ideas described Bagma center of the Muslims of Ethiopia, but the government denies the charges altogether.

The head of the Business Association Charitable Abu Khalid Sheikh Mohammed Ali in a statement to the island that the Ethiopian authorities are trying to sow discord among the Muslims to achieve political goals, but millions demonstrations Re goal attempts abortion "unconstitutional" as he put it.

And pose head of the charity Ethiopian conspiracy theory, saying that "The Muslims of Ethiopia between teeth three are: government interference in their religious affairs, and its cooperation with the group Abyssinian, and defend the Islamic Supreme Council Ethiopian them," stated that the Islamic Supreme Council received about 280 million Ethiopian birr ( U.S. $ 15.5 million) for the launch of the Ethiopians by a group of Muslims.

Andesa breadth and expected protests if the government does not back down from their positions (the island)

Attempts to resolve

In an attempt to quell the crisis before it decided to flash Muslims Ethiopia in December / December last to open a direct dialogue with the government to contain the crisis, the government - and the story of Sheikh Ali - refused to receive representatives of the Muslims and ignored.

Media activist said first and Andesa the island, "demonstrations erupted eight months ago in Addis Ababa, and several cities are still ongoing, because the government ignored the demands of Muslims," ​​did not rule out the expansion of protests if the government does not back down from their positions, which he described aggressive.

He summarized the Andesa and the factors that led to tension situations intervention in religious affairs authorities and the high literacy rate among young people, and use of social networking, and the impact of the Arab revolutions, in addition to widespread poverty and unemployment, marginalization and restrictions on public freedoms.

However, Sheikh Khaled Abu downplayed the impact of revolutions on the Arab arena Ethiopian, and stressed that the primary motivation which drives the Muslims is their defense of Islam, believing that this is the secret of the Ethiopian police use of force against the demonstrators.

The government denied

Ethiopian authorities for its part, strongly denies the accusations against them by Muslims, interfering in the affairs of their religion, and to park behind the wave of protests that racked in Addis Ababa and other Ethiopian cities.

He denied government spokesman Shi Mlessa Kamal, the use of police lacrimal gas to disperse the demonstrators, while the government accuses the organizers of the demonstrations in connection to al Qaeda, and says the elements are masked in the ranks of the demonstrators, and incite violence.

The government denies their relationship to group Ethiopians and to promote its principles, but it confirms its intention to prevent any spillover of what it calls the "Islamic militancy" of Sudan, Somalia, neighboring, and accuses the demonstrators to use religion as political cover for a coup against the government and undermine the stability and security of the country and the establishment of an Islamic state.

Sheikh Ali: The government refused to receive representatives of the Muslims and ignored their demands (the island)

Muslim demands

The Abu Khalid that the demands of the Muslims of Ethiopia are summarized in four points: stop government interference in religious affairs of Muslims, and the selection of members of the Supreme Council of Muslims, and non-government interference in the affairs of the mosque initial Addis Ababa, and sparing group Ethiopians for their methods, which raised the ire of Muslims.

Ethiopian Muslims and refused all charges against them by the official authorities, and stressed Muslim activists of the island, their attachment to their religion and not giving up the Islamic him, whatever the circumstances.

Islamists and Ethiopian activists confirms their intention to continue the peaceful protests in various cities and villages in their areas of government to respond to their legitimate demands and provided for in the Ethiopian Constitution.

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The Aweliya brothers and sisters have been practicing nonviolent protest since January of 2012. From their humble beginnings, the brothers have been portrayed as extremist by the government. One of the intended purposes of the government was to divert attention from the actual validity of their arguments by discrediting them as terrorists, Jihadists, to simply isolate them from garnering public support from the general Muslim populace.

Fortunately, the government’s sinister and dubious motives did not work. Instead, it brought the entire Muslim population, despite their minor differences, under one fold. Furthermore, the Christian and Muslim communities were united in support of the common democratic struggle. I watched the Seventeen committee members’ press conference very attentively and none of them ever contradicted their method of struggle except as nonviolence. Their call was for the government to respect and implement the constitution.

As reported by various news outlets, just recently the government has cracked down and used forces ranging from guns, sticks, and tear gas in five areas of the city. These incidents occurred long after the Anwar Mosque mayhem that resulted in a number of deaths. Additionally, this was the second time the present regime violated the sanctity of mosques. Such actions by this undemocratic regime may force some of the youth to act out in vengeance or engage in violent reactions. My biggest fear is that some youth may fall into the government’s trap, which would give the government justification for its heavy-handed crackdown. The committee members’ appeal not to resort into violent retributions should be heeded.

Since September 11, the West has associated violence with Islam despite the fact that extremists are in the marginal minority. Ethiopian Muslims are part of the majority of peace loving Muslims on the globe and have exemplified their peaceful and nonviolent character. It was therefore natural for the elected committee members to advocate for a peaceful protest through civil disobedience.

The youth have to be constantly reminded that there are a number of Muslim conscientious objectors who are pacifists and are actively engaged in defending Islam without resorting to violence. Iftikar Arsalan in his book “Islamic Pacifism- Global Muslims in the Post Obama Era” mentions a Muslim scholar; Sheikh Kunta Hajj of Chechnya, who is quoted as stating in his famous teachings:

“Defeat the evil men by your goodness and love… Defeat the greedy with your generosity…Defeat the treacherous with your sincerity…Defeat the infidel with your fidelity.”

Our recent memory of the Egyptian revolution should not be forgotten too. The uprising was mainly a campaign on nonviolent civil resistance which featured a series of demonstrations, marches, acts of civil disobedience and labor strikes. Grievances of Egyptian protestors were mainly focused on legal and political issues. In spite of the protestors’ just cause, the Mubarak regime reacted with heavy- handed brutality and many people died. However, the leadership of the revolutionary movement was very focused on its objective, which was to elevate the demands of the people in a public domain without employing violent tactics or violent confrontation with the authorities. This strategy resulted in the humiliation and defeat of their despotic leader and his allies who ruled Egypt for thirty years.

The Ethiopian Muslims’ demand is very simple; let us elect our leaders and keep the government’s hands out of our religious affairs. For those who label this as extremism, I believe they have an ulterior motive to destroy the country and limit the progress that has been made so far. No matter what silly names the likes of Dr. Shieferaw can conjure up inside their brains, the Muslim youth should continue their peaceful struggle.

As long as the Aweliya leadership sticks to its demand and continue the just struggle, hopefully, victory will come to them. Now is not the time to capitalize on emotions but rather reflect and think ahead. Peaceful and nonviolent movements can affect positive sociopolitical changes within Ethiopia.

I appeal to the young generation who are emotionally charged no to fall in the government’s trap by resorting to violence. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said that “peace is not mainly a distant goal that we seek but means by which we arrive at that goal.”